Fifth-wheel for vehicles



W. BLUME.

FIFTH WHEEL FORVBHIGLES.

No. 876,178. l Pane-118885811. 1o, 1888.4

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UNiTED STATES PATENT erica.

rW'ILLIAM BLUME, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIFTH-WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 376,178, dated January 10l 1888.

l Applicationiled August 26, 1887. Serial No. 217,896. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BLUME, a citizen of the United States, and aresident ofY Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain :new and useful Improvements inFifth-Wheels for Side-Bar Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in lthand Fig. 3 is a central vertical section taken` inline as :r of Fig. 2.

The axle A and the axle-cap A are of the ordinary construction, except that the center of the cap is cut away onthe top to facilitate the fitting of the segmental ring B of the fifth` wheel uponit. ThesegmentB is secured upon the axle-cap by bolts b and clipbars b. The heads of the bolts are-countersunk into the top of the ring and pass upon each side of the axle and axle-cap. rEhe screw-threaded ends pass through the-clips b and receive nuts b2 to firmly hold the segment B in the axle-cap. The upper portion of the tifth-wheel consists of the two segments C and C', rigidly secured together and to the bolster D by bolts c, the heads ofwhich are 'countersunk into the upper section of the segment. The bolts c pass through the head-block D and metal washers c on top ot'it. The parts are irmly held by nuts upon the upper ends of the bolts.

The upper section, C, of the tifth-wheel of iron or steel, like the lower segment, B, and the intermediate part, C', is of hard wood, brass, or other anti-friction material. If of Wood, which .I prefer, for the reasons that it wears well, causes but little friction when in contact with metal, is easily lubricated, and` can be cheaply replaced when worn, the

countersunk head of the bolts c should bear upon the metal part C to enable the upper section to be held firmly to the head-block. The

lbolts c2 secure the ends of the segments C C together..

To the under side of the bolster Dv is secured a plate, E, which extends forward and is bent up to cross the segments and receive the studbolt F. The segments C O'are notched to receive the bolt F, which passes outside of the cut-away portion of the segment B, and has a head or projectiomf, upon which the segment B rests. E to the bolster, also pass through a bracket, G, which is secured on top of the bolster and has its rear perforated end extended and curved downward to meet the perforated boss upon the inner end of the plate E. The bottom oftheplate rests upont'ne up wardly-curved bar B of segment B, which has a perforated boss at the center to receive the pivot or king bolt H, which also passes through a boss in the center of the brace I and the bracket G. The ends of the brace lare bent to pass underneath the axle, and are perforated to receive the screw-threaded shanksof axle-clips J, thus serving as clip-bars, while the center of the brace supports the fifth-wheel.

.Y The hanger E, which projects from the under side of the plate E, is for the purpose of receiving the adj usti iig-strap of the center spring The bolts e, which secure the plate shown in my Patent No. 340,757, and also in my application filed of even date herewith, or to receive the end of any bodyspring or springreach. The hanger is left off when the fthwheel is to be used upon the ordinary side-bar vehicle. l

It is obvious that the intermediatesegment,

C', maybe omitted, and also that the shape of IOO 1. The combination of the axle, the-segment'v B B', secured thereon, the headblock having the upper track of the tftlrwhecl, and the plate E, secured underneathit, the bracket G, secured on the head-block, the stud-bolt Ffin plate E, the brace I and clips J, for securing it to the axle, said brace arching up in the oenter and being;` provided with a perforated boss, andtheking-bolt H,passing throughsaidbraceplate E and bracket G, substantially as Shown and described.

2. In a fth-wheel, the combination, substantially as set forth, of the segment B B', the segment C, and the intermediate Wooden seg- 1nent,G, secured .to it, the plate E, bolt Ff, and the king-bolt, with the axle and head-block.

3. The combination of the fifth-wheel Seg- I5 the axle, and the stud-bolt Ff, substantially 2o as specified.

WILLIAM BLUME.

Witnesses:

C. N. WELLS, HERMAN OSTILIUS. 

